Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-03-05
Florence. Alabama.
To the Chronicle.

time, and as GAINESVILLE is now vitality
interested in big boom will try and
give you few items from the flourish
ing little city OF Florence. AS yet, the
Florence boom has not taken a very
solid form, as far as building is con-
cerned, but the unusual activity in land
sales, negotiations for furnaces, factories,
etc, betoken big rise in the size and
prosperity Of the town when spring
commences in earnest.
Real estate agents are as numerous
here as the ''The flowers that bloom in
the Spring." in fact about every third
man met is interested in land sales.
BY far the largest firm of the descrip-
ton, is the corporation known as "The
Florence Land and Improvement com
pany," Judge W. B. Wood, president.
This company has a capital stock OF
$4,000, 900, owns about 10000 acres of
land in and adjacent to the city besides
a large tract of land IN the Warrior
Coal Fields, north of here. This COM
pany is also engaged in opening up new
streets and avenues in various parts of
the town, making their lots accessible,
and clearing up scrub oak lands.
II is now certain that Florence is to
have several iron furnaces, coke ovens,
etc, in the near future. The sites for
one or two furnaces have already been
selected and laid out, and the rock for
their erection is now being quarried.
Florence is certainly beautiful town
now with her fine old resdences-built
with view to solidity, comfort and
durability, her smooth level streets,
macadimized with gravel with sufficient
drainage to @ ry off the sewerage of the
town. The cay now boasts OF $500 in
habitants believe, and the sanguine
expect these figures to be doubled be-
fore twelve months have passed. Fine
educational advantages are possessed
here, the State Normal College, a large
Female Seminary, and several Schools
OF lesser note being located in the city.
Both the Normal college and the Semi
nary are buildings both magnificent
and stately.
In company with M, ]. R. Neblett,
our resident engineer, walked over to
see the wonderful city of Sheffield, last
Sunday afternoon-the distance being
about three miles. After going three
miles we asked an old darkey, out in
the broom sage, how far it was to
Sheffield, he replied. "You is nigh on
to the place now, sah." When we "got
there" even, we were still looking for
the town. / don't wish to SANDER this
immense city, but from personal obser-
walton, ! would take it to be about one
half the size of Guthrie. But signs OF
life were visible on either hand, long
rows of laborer's cottages lined some
street Ito be) and excavations for build
ings are going on with rapidity. One
block OF buildings,-about the only
(block) in town-sold recently for $50, 00C
contains large hotel, three stories
high, and various stores, of one and
two stories. On asking il all the town
was in sight, we were told ito 60 down
Montgomery Avenue and come back
up Atlanta and we could see one or two
new buildings and the iron furnaces
But as Montgomery Avenue looked like
a half-completed railroad cut, with the
mud ankle-deep, and no signs of Atlanta
avenue visible, we concluded to post
pone our trip over those popular, limo
populous thoroughfares.
Sheffield is building street car rail
road from that place to Tuscumbla, on,
and half miles distant which is alst
on BOOM" (Tuscumbla l mean)
Everything and everybody in Northern
Alabama seems to be in the boomin,
humor at present. 1t is to be hopet
that none of the boomers will, wher
the booms burst, become bummers.
Florence has many natural advan
tages, situated on the Tennessee rive
at the head of present navigation, will
coal fields and ore beds lying near her
and forests of oak and pine surround
ing her, she is eminently fitted to be
come what she is so proud of becoming
herself: The Queen of the Iron Crown
The Memphis and Charleston roe,
has branch running from Tuscumbi
to this place, sour road" the Nashvill
and Florence which our party is nov
engaged in locating northward, wi
open up to this city vast territor
heretofore strangers to her markets an
trade. With proper encouragement
is thought, this road may be continue
on through Dickson Station to Clarki
vile, there to join the great throug
trunk l. A. & T. Railway